The Embers Crackle (RWBY/CK2-AfterTheEnd)

[Raiu]

The winter warriors are the Human/Faunus group that got annihilated right?

There should be a few more than one of them left, might as well ask where the others are before making a decision.

Click to shrink...

A Winter Warrior shouting for sanctuary and continuing to do so even as he was stoned half to death seemed far more important than Bor was letting on. For the moment, however, you couldn't speak over the rising din of your people. While they had run out of rocks, they were more than ready to hurl insults. You needed some room to speak.

You knocked the warrior on the arm. "Gather your friends and get the people to shut up. I need to speak." The warrior nodded and moved through the crowd. Even though nigh thirty warriors moved for silence, the people still took almost a fifth of a short-hour to stop their verbal assault. In the end, however, all eyes focused on you. You could see the question in everyone's eyes: would she kill the Human?

"Bor of the Winter Warriors." You called out, holding the crossbow though not yet aiming. "I am Colubra, Champion of this tribe. I have questions for you. Approach within ten paces of the wall, slowly."

Control of the situation was in your hands, which become quite evident as Bor did as you ordered. You still were not sure if this was not a trap, but you would deal with that in due time.

"Stop." You commanded, and were immediately complied with. "The last I had heard, there were twenty Winter Warriors left, not just one. Why have only you presented yourself, Bor of the Winter Warriors."

Bor bowed, clearly attempting to flatter you. "Champion Colubra, my tribe was devastated by an old White Knight and his horde at the beginning of spring. Our uninjured were taken by Tiers, leaving myself and nineteen others. We attempted to keep the tribe alive, however we could not. Instead, my people have scattered to the wind, attempting to find a tribe which would take us in. I and I alone have come to your camp to beg for sanctuary."

Spoiler: Lie Detector

31 + 20 = 51 vs 32 + 8 = 40
Colubra detects a lie.

You watched Bor closely, and you saw his eyes dart to the side in the middle of his speech. He was lying, though you weren't exactly sure just what he was lying about. Did his people not actually scatter to the wind and were here now, or was he not truly a part of the Winter Warriors?

"Bor, do you know who we are and who I am?" You shouted, trying to see his intentions.

Bor was quiet for a moment, looking at the faces on the wall. "I believe I do, and I know the tales of your tribe, Champion. I know of your hatred for my kind. Even so, I have come to ask for sanctuary for myself and my kin, if you would allow it. In return, I offer my skills as a devoted of the Winter Hunt, and my life if you should ask for it." He bowed once more, much more a plea than a matter of flattery.

You turned away, looking towards Ikarus and Nautilus, the two the closest you had to advisors at the moment. Well, if they had opinions to give, you'd damn well get them.

"Elder, what do you think of accepting the Faunus from their tribe, and sending the rest to the Tarenti?" You asked, with a pointed look. "Would the tribe accept that resolution?"

Natalius considered for a moment, looking to the ground and mouthing a prayer. "We always have and always will accept our brethren. However, I cannot say the same of the Tarenti. Relying on them is unwise."

Your husband spoke up, finding something to agree upon. "So, we contact the Tarenti and hand him over. In the meantime, we can make use of him in our forces-" Ikarus was cut off by a shout from one of the tribesmen beyond the cordon of warriors.

"Colubra!" Called a scaled man, straining to see around the warriors. "Kill him! Kill the murderer of our goddess! Kill him!" His words were picked up by the people nearby.

"Kill him! Kill him!" The words became a chant, spreading through the tribe like a plague.

"Kill! Kill!" As they chanted, their faces were distorted by snarls and bared teeth. Their collective dread turned from fear and into hatred. Some seemed ready to leap off the walls themselves, held back from tearing into Bor only by the cooler headed of the warriors.

"Perhaps not, then." You hear Natalius remark, obviously as surprised at the hatred in your people's eyes as you were.

"Kill! Kill! Kill!" The chanting grew deafening, before a large gout of flame erupted above the heads of the tribe. The sight was enough to shock your people into silence for a moment, and Ebon's voice cut through the silence.

"Shut up! The Champion makes this decision! Not you! So shut up and let her decide!"

His words seemed to be enough for the moment, as silence reigned once more. The hatred in your people's eyes, however, were still firmly directed at Bor.

AN: The vote from the last post remains open.

 

[Raiu]

Did this Human think you were an idiot, or were the Winter Warriors so drained this was their best idea? Sending a Human to talk with people who hate his kind right after another tribe burned down the forest trying to report your location? Either these warriors were far more desperate than you thought, someone was throwing fruits before Boarbatusks or this really was a trap.

"Husband." You said, keeping your eyes on Bor, watching him as blood trickled from the cut on his brow, ignored in favor of staring at you. "Do you see anything at the tree line?"

There was a short pause, and you heard a shrug. "Nothing which I can see." Ikarus said almost dismissively. You were sure it was an act, and he was as worried of all this as you were. "It does seem like-"

"A trap. I got that." You spoke curtly. A little touch to show he still wasn't in your good graces again. "Keep looking and tell me if you see anything." You reached out, grasping the rounded spike of the wall as you considered the Human's words. Perhaps if you tried to apply thought to his words, you could find a hidden meaning within.

A few heartbeats later, you concluded you needed more. This was strange to the point of senselessness, and Bor had explaining to do. "Bor, are your people fools?" You shouted, fully aware of your tribemen's eyes on you. Even ten paces away, you could see the anger your statement caused Bor, though it was suppressed in an instant. "I know your tribe numbered one score after the Tiers left. You wouldn't be here unless some Faunus were, so why did they not send them and not the natural enemy of my tribe?"

Before Bor could answer, you felt a tap on your shoulder and Ikarus' whisper in your ear. "There, over his right shoulder, just past the tree line. I count one, perhaps two figures, though I can't be sure." He paused, and you were sure he was focusing on the distant figures. "They're watching."


Just as Ikarus spoke before you could give voice to a question, you received an answer for an older question. "The Gathering of Winter Warriors are not fools, Champion of the Schnee!" Bor shouted, giving rise to an angry muttering amongst your people. "I was sent by my Champion to test the righteousness of the Schnee." ('Another lie.' You noted.) "I have come alone with empty hands, and if allowed sanctuary, I will bring my kin in service..."

You had already turned your mind away from Bor's clearly prepared speech as he got to speed. The man was a terrible liar, and he was relying on false truths far too much. In the span of a short conversation, you counted no less than three lies, a sin for anyone trying to prove their good intentions.

Part of you wanted to be compassionate, after all an Aura'ed Warrior was always a powerful shield raised against your enemies. Bor would double the number of Awakened Auras in the tribe overnight, and if his promise to bring more of his tribe was truthful, you would have a strong shield indeed. However, the lies forced your compassion back into hiding. His words screamed danger, and your hand rested upon the trigger-bar on the top of the crossbow.

Your people screamed for his blood, and with the crossbow it would be easy to kill Bor. His Aura was depleted, broken for a time, and if you acted swiftly, there would be no doubt of his death. Your people would be happy at the death of a Human, and you would be skipping over a trap. Unless an attack by the Champion of the Schnees was his goal, perhaps to signal the figures hiding behind him. Were there nineteen other Aura'ed Warriors hiding in the forest, waiting for an attempted killing blow against one of their own in some strange attempt to raid?

You weren't sure, however you knew this situation would not change in your favor if you let him prattle on. A decision needed to be made, and soon, else your people would find more stones to throw.

Opportunity Interrupt
Bor's speech is obviously prepared, and his poor lying skills have placed doubt on his intentions. In order to get to the truth, perhaps you need to let him know clearly just how deep of a read you have on him. Reveal Bor's Deception?
[] Yes
[] Yes, and... [Write-In]
[] No, but... [Write-In]
[] No

If No is chosen, then:
[] Write-In

 

[Raiu]

You, Colubra, Champion of the Schnee Tribe and nominal Priestess of the Mother Goddess, had gotten sick of Bor's lies. The human had lied to you from the first moments he spoke to you. How, given his constant lies, could you trust his claims of sanctuary to be genuine?

While Bor was dedicated enough to withstand rocks even without his Aura, you were going to enjoy tearing off the cloak of lies he wove on himself.

You turned away from Bor, fixing your gaze onto the point Ikarus presented. Sure enough, you could see two figures, one much smaller than the other, hiding in the shadow of a burnt tree just beyond the clearing. "You two!" You shouted with all your might, barely noticing the look of horror dawning on Bor's face. "Come out from those trees now or I will hunt you down like wild game!"

The answer came forcefully and far closer than you expected. "No!" You glanced back and saw Bor turned towards the two figures, hand held high to halt any advance. "Stay there!" His words heralded an eruption of shouts and a renewed push by your tribesmen against the Warriors.

Where before your Warriors were held back by duty, you could see the conflict on your Warriors' faces. This was not a matter of trying to protect the tribesmen any longer. This was a war between their duty to keep their friends and family within the wall, and their duty to remove any threat to the tribe. No show of force would give you more time now. This was what you saw dancing along the faces on the wall.

More interesting, however, was the look on Bor's face as he turned back towards you. There was panic, yes, but tempered with a desperate determination. He did not have the face of a warrior whose trap was revealed. He glared at you with the eyes of a bear ready to protect something more precious than his own life. 'Are you going to tell the truth now, Human?' You thought, trying to divine the path forwards, wishing you had a spare moment to consult your coins. You would make do.

You leveled the crossbow directly towards him, hand gripping the firing bar, only a small push away from sending the killing bolt. "I do not enjoy liars, Human!" You roared in equal measure to be heard over the shouts and chants. "Tell the truth now, or I will kill you where you stand and hunt down your comrades like wild game!"

Bor the Bad Lair answered without hesitation, and now without lies. "Twenty two of my tribe were left after the Tiers took all those who were no longer loyal to our bonds. Two left us to wander north into the Burned Lands, while seven and ten joined the Baunerhofs including The Huntsman. I and two others-"

"Names!" You cut in, not noticing the expectant silence which fell over your fellow Faunus. Their attention was split between you and Bor, waiting for the moment the bolt would be loosed and this threat removed.

"Sif and Tan!" Bor roared, "My wife and son! We came here because we are sick of cowering behind walls!" Any pretense of humility was gone, replaced with a raw burn which you saw in the eyes of the zealots on the eve of the raid. "My people have crusaded against the Grimm since the days we were lead by Lady Winter as the killing light fell upon the Burned Lands! Since the day I was old enough to raise a sword, I was shown the ways to end the monsters haunting my son's nightmares!"

The first real gesture you saw from Bor was him shoving a thumb to his chest, his posture changed from a small sycophant to a warrior asserting his right to respect. "I am Bor The Grimm Breaker, Anointed of Winter, and I wish to fight!" With each statement he rapped the thumb against his chest. "I will not cower in comfortable imprisonment like the Baunerhofs! I will not fawn over vapid constructs like the Schloss! I will not revel in my superiority like the Kriegers! I will not devote myself to the past at the cost of the future like the Zuruck Fords! I am a Winter Warrior, and so I shall fight!"

The Winter Warrior pointed at you. "Your tribe loathes me! To you, I am no different than the slavers of the Kriegers or the slave drivers of the Schloss! You are the best chance for my family to survive untainted, standing tall and defiant against the darkness! You are my best chance to keep fighting against the Grimm!"

Bor threw his arms open. "Colubra, Champion of the Schnee Tribe! Accept my wife and child into your tribe! In return, I give you my life to do with as you please! Kill me where I stand! Brand me as a slave and degrade me for the rest of my days! Send me alone against the Grimm! Force the secrets of my faith from me! Treat me with the same cruelty I have seen from the Schloss and Kreig! I will accept all without complaint!"

His voice dropped from a shout as he delivered his final words. These words were not meant for the tribe's ears. Only your's. "All I ask is for my family to be safe and free. I beg for their sanctuary. Nothing more."

Silence reigned once Bor was finished with his speech, though it was soon deposed by a quiet din. Bor's plea had muddled the opinions of the Schnee. Where you before had heard chants of killing, the mutterings you heard were far less certain.

"There are three? Then we kill all three." You heard from a young voice to your right.
"The human sells itself into slavery." You heard from an older voice, a reply to the young voice. "We suffered under the brand and club of humanity. To do the same would be justice."
"It is a threat, just like all others of its kind. We can't allow it to taint our homes."

"Bring them in." An male voice spoke to your left, "Colubra told us there is a way to turn humans away from the Trickster."
"That was only the Tarenti," A female voice responded, "And they did nothing to stop the Schloss scouts from burning down our forest."
"They helped us against the Schloss, and it would have been a full raid without them. Bring them in."

You listened harder, searching for farther statements. "Blood for blood. The Grimm took one from us. We take one from the Grimm." "Idiot, that's only the Schloss." "Have him kill his son, then kill him." "No, have him kill his wife." "If he wants to fight that much, let him kill ten Grimm." "Kill the Schloss." "Kill the Krieger." "Take over the Barunerhofs." "Make it repent." "Make it convert."

Behind and to your right, Elder Natalius tapped his cane as he considered, the rare panic you had seen earlier banished. "No doubt this 'Bor' knows how to awaken Auras. If we could harness such a force for our Warriors..." He rapped the cane once more on the timbers. "Colubra. 'Bor' shall reside outside the walls, his family a hostage until all our Warriors' Auras have been awakened and we know his secrets. Then we shall dispose of them."

"You have no idea just how big of a gift was just thrown at our feet." Ikarus mocked, behind and to your left. "Look at the warrior. Any tribe would take him in and he'd distinguish himself immediately. Everyone values a good warrior, and we can use that. Slip him into a tribe, and we'll be able to kill leaders whenever we want. If the warrior's kine and kid are likewise as useful, then we could cripple the other tribes and take over in a matter of months! You would want to get rid of such an important tool?"

You mulled over the words you heard, sparing perhaps a moment too long trying to uncover the meaning of 'kine'. 'Well, something to ask once's he's had enough nights outside.' Shaking your head, you focused on the matter at hand. Bor's speech had silenced your people for the moment, but it would not be for long. No doubt your people would rediscover their fear before half a shorthour passed. Then they would charge in force, no longer held back by your Warriors, intent on tearing apart everything they could find outside the walls. If such happened, you knew your Rivals would eat away at your power base. You would be giving them the weapons they would need to bring you down.

There was no more room for questions. You needed to be decisive.

Bor's fate.
[] Shoot.
[] Write-In.

The Bor family's fate.
[] Hunt Them Down.
[] Write-In.